Tales From a Loris
by purplemudkip31
Summary: A bunch of drabbles and short stories that I'll update when inspiration strikes.
1. Tales From a Loris

AN: Bovril is probably one of my favorite characters in the series. Most definitely. These drabbles and such may not always feature it, but here's hoping it'll make plenty of appearances.

* * *

><p>"<em>Mr<em>. Sharp."

The perspicacious loris chuckled, staring at the blonde midshipman. Or, should it say, blonde midship_woman_.

Her friend, a reddish-haired _barking prince_, gave the loris an amused glance. "Why does Bovril like saying that so much?"

"Say that," Bovril mimicked.

"I have no barking idea, Alek," the blonde-girl-disguised-as-a-boy said, "I think that crash when it was an egg scrambled its attic."

"Maybe, Dylan," Alek replied, reaching up to scratch behind Bovril's ear, "It seems pretty smart to me."

"Smart!" the loris squeaked delightedly. Like that word!

"I hope it is," 'Dylan' murmured, joining Alek in his petting. Bovril made an almost purring noise with pleasure, sounding like the engines of the ship. "Then it won't reveal things it wasn't supposed to hear." That last bit was delivered with a pointed look.

Bovril thought for a moment before giggling and saying its favorite phrase, "_Mr_. Sharp!"

Alek sighed, shaking his head. He and 'Dylan' were quiet for a moment, petting Bovril. Eventually, 'Dylan' said, "Hey Alek?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you going to do when we reach Japan?"

New word! Bovril excitedly repeated it, "Japan!"

Alek, Bovril's assumed mother, told him, "Very good. I really don't know… the Japanese are Darwinists, but… I think Volger's going to want to make a run for it."

'Dylan' nodded, understanding the _barking prince_. "Aye. You're thinking that it'll be safest here."

"Yeah…"

* * *

><p>"Bovril's been awfully chatty lately," 'Dylan' said to Dr. Barlow.<p>

She gave the loris a faintly curious look. "I wonder why that is…"

"I've got no ideas."

"Perspicacious," Bovril said. It liked the sound of that word- it flowed well.

"Keen mental judgment." Bovril's egg-hatch-mate recited the definition.

Dr. Barlow gave him a slight smile. "Correct."

'Dylan' was watching the loris. A look in her eyes suggested that something had just occurred to her when she said, "Ma'am? I don't think I ever learned if Bovril was male or female."

The mother of the egg-hatch-mate frowned slightly. Clicking her tongue, she called, "Bovril, come here."

Ear perking up, the loris scampered over to her. She scooped it up and held it high. Bovril waved its tail happily, squeaking, "Fly! Fly! Fly!"

"Yes, Bovril," the boffin responded, setting it down, "Very good. She _is_ oddly chatty today."

"_She_, ma'am?"

"Yes. Bovril is a female," the boffin said, sighing in exasperation.

"Female," Bovril chirped.

* * *

><p>Bovril watched the weird-mustache-man shake his head slowly, chuckling. "You're telling me that this creature is female like yourself?" he said.<p>

'Dylan' made a flailing motion with 'his' hands, trying to quiet the Count. "Shh! Blisters, not so loud!"

Bovril joined the _barking _count in his chuckles. He gave the loris an almost approving look. "Do you think she realizes that you're like her?"

'Dylan' shrugged. "I have no idea. She's quite smart, though. And she keeps repeating what you said, so maybe she's figured it out before Alek."

Volger raised an eyebrow. "Exactly what does she keep repeating, Mr. Sharp?" He said the last part with a slight grin, amused.

"_Mr._ Sharp," Bovril corrected.

He smirked. "I see."

"It's not funny," 'Dylan' growled, "Alek might figure it out if she keeps saying that."

"Ah. Yes. Alek."

"What about him?"

Volger's smirk grew wider. "Your feelings on him?"

She blushed, glaring at the count. "That's none of your business!"

He actually laughed at this, very amused. Bovril thought that he _bloody well knew_ from _another excellent observation_ that 'Dylan' liked Alek. "Yes it is," he replied, "and I thought you'd be interested to know that it's a possibility that he might not be able to be Archduke."

'Dylan' stiffened. "What do you mean by that?"

Volger's face darkened as swiftly as the mountains when the _Leviathan_ flew over. "The Holy Father is dead. He won't be able to vouch for Alek's letter anymore. Someone tipped the Germans off to the letter in the first place, and we don't know whether they have an influence on the new Pope."

'Dylan' sat back in her chair, contemplating this. "So you're saying that all your efforts to keep him alive and attempting to get him on the throne might've been barking worthless?"

"No. Not worthless, so I hope." Volger shot 'him' a _sharp_ look. "Don't get any ideas."

"Of course not, Count."

* * *

><p>AN: Yup. Bovril was actually never given a defined gender in <em>Behemoth<em>, so… I made it a her. Eheheh.

Her thought process consists of phrases and speech patterns of the people she's been around a lot- Deryn, Alek, Lilit, etc. I hope you like it. I'll update whenever I can/whenever I get a good idea. Suggestions are welcome :)


	2. Sisters

"Dr. Barlow, who are we picking up again?" Deryn wasn't sure why they'd stopped their journey to Japan in the middle of Russia.

"Nikola Tesla, and… another boffin." The doctor was oddly hesitant on the second part.

That name rang a bell. "Tesla," she repeated, thinking, "Isn't he the one that made the Tesla cannon?"

Dr. Barlow nodded. "The very same. Now, I want you to be nice to him; he's rather strange, but a brilliant man."

"Aye."

A shout announced that Tesla and the unknown boffin were coming up. A beastie that almost resembled a giant Huxley floated up. Three people were on the said beast's basket that was dangling from its body—A dark-haired man wearing a neat suit, a tall blond man wearing a Russian uniform, and a young woman with light brown hair.

Deryn was fairly sure who was who.

The woman was the first to disembark, jumping from the basket that hung from the giant Huxley without fear. Landing neatly, she turned to the captain with a smile and said something Deryn couldn't hear.

Behind her, the dark-haired man- Tesla, Deryn thought- stepped down more carefully than she. He too smiled at the captain, shaking his hand. The captain now turned towards his crew. "This is Nikola Tesla," he said, loud and clear, gesturing to the man, "And this is Helen Barlow."

"You have a barking sister?" Deryn's astounded by this piece of info.

"Sister-in-law," she corrected.

As the crowd dispersed, off to do their duties, Helen Barlow trotted towards Dr. Barlow, calling out in a cheerful tone, "Hey, Nora!" Deryn was surprised at her appearance; her hair was just below chin-length, unusually short. She had black trousers on as well, with sturdy leather boots visible.

Pausing a few feet in front of the older boffin, Helen grinned. "This is great, isn't it? A few more females and we'll have a good start towards taking over the ship!"

Deryn chuckled slightly at that. Helen's attention was shifted by the noise. "And who are you?" she asked.

"Midshipman Dylan Sharp, ma'am," she introduced herself.

"Pleasure," Helen replied, grinning.

"Helen." Dr. Barlow's more formal attitude contrasted her sister-in-law's. "You're not traveling with any of your creatures?"

"Psh. Of course I am." With that said, she suddenly took off running.

"Here we go," Dr. Barlow muttered.

The running boffin put a few fingers to her lips and whistled a single long, sharp note. By then, she was running out of whale. With an almighty leap, she jumped high and dove off the ship.

"Barking spiders!" Deryn was already frantically clipping onto a ratline, hoping to somehow be able to catch the seemingly-suicidal boffin. "Is she insane?"

"Not insane," Dr. Barlow seemed exasperated, though amused nonetheless, like she knew what was coming, "Just… eccentric."

"What do you mean by th-" Deryn cut herself off as an _enormous_ bird flew up, almost completely vertical. With a fourty-five foot wingspan, it made an average pigeon look insubstantial. The _Leviathan_'s strafing hawks would look tiny next to this beast. The huge animal made a big, arcing circle overhead before slowly heading back towards the pair.

It landed with the grace of a cat, flapping once and nearly knocking Deryn off her feet with the gust before alighting on the whale's spine. Deryn took this moment to examine it more closely.

The wings had been shaped like those of a falcon when they were unfurled, a dark red-brown on the topside and more of a cream on the underside. The dark brown color covered the bird, with slight variations here and there. Black flecked the breast of the bird, the same color as its curving talons and hooked beak.

The talons. Big things, each one was nearly the length of Deryn's arm. The tips of the talons had a small piece of leather covering on them, keeping them much less deadly than they would normally be and much less likely to puncture the membrane.

A figure stepped off the bird from where she had been perched in front of the wings. Helen.

Helen smirked at Deryn's shocked expression. Stroking the bird, she said, "I call him Phillip."

* * *

><p>"My God!" Alek yelped, looking out the window. Volger twisted his head around. The two hadn't been allowed to watch Tesla and the boffin board the ship.<p>

"What is it?" Volger was mildly worried at the prince's alarmed tone.

He pointed down. "There was a woman! She dived off the side of the _Leviathan_ and-"

Volger turned his attention to the window just long enough to see a woman on a bird shoot past the window.

* * *

><p>AN: Helen Barlow was one of Nora Barlow's sisters-in-law in real life. Naturally, I made her awesome, just like our Dr. Barlow.<p> 


	3. Test Flight

Alek may have known a lot about mechanics, but Klopp surpassed him in that. And, as Alek was finding out, electrics as well.

The prince watched his friend and Nikola Tesla talk, able to recognize only about one in five words. Tesla spoke German fluently, which meant that he didn't need Alek to translate…

The engines didn't need work. So why was he stuck here, listening to the two men chat about lightning and cannons and how to spiral wire to make an electric gun and a bunch of chemicals and alloys he's never heard of before in his life?

He tried to get up to leave, but Klopp waved him back down. "Not now, young master," he told him, "You should listen to this. It's quite useful."

Alek opened his mouth to protest, but was interrupted by Dylan swinging open the door with a loud _bang_. "Alek," he called, "the Barlow-boffins need us to take Phillip for a fly, and I can't control that bird by myself."

Not caring one bit (neither about leaving nor about the fact that there was something Dylan needed help with), he leaped up and out the door.

"Wait, who's Phillip?" he asked.

"Helen's bird," Dylan replied, leading him towards the back of the gondola, a big leather bag swinging by his side with every step. Alek realized he'd never been to this part of the ship before.

"She named it? I thought you weren't supposed to name the beasties."

"Helen doesn't care about the barking rules," Dylan said, amused.

"True. Didn't she throw herself off the ship when she arrived?"

"Aye."

As Alek followed Dylan further and further into unfamiliar territory, he finally asked, "Where are we going, anyway?"

"The rookery," Dylan told him, "Phillip has a compartment all to himself."

Eventually, the sounds of bird-song and shrieks of hawks reached the pair's ears. Dylan looked down the long hall.

Sturdy doors with cords on the outside of them lined the hall. A grate covered the small windows, but you could see inside without much difficulty.

"What happens if you pull these?" Alek asked, touching a rope.

Dylan snatched his hand away. "You release the birds, you ninny. Don't do that."

Alek nodded. Dylan jogged towards the end of the hall and started peeking in the windows. "Aha," he said after looking through a few windows, "Hello, Phillip."

A low hawk-noise floated through the window.

Alek looked inside. There, standing straight up but cramped-looking, was the biggest bird he had ever seen. That was the bird that the boffin had flown on… He hadn't had a chance to talk to Helen Barlow yet. Apparently, she was just chatting with her sister-in-law, playing catch-up.

Dylan rummaged in the bag, pulling out a couple of thin, lightweight saddles. It didn't look like a normal horse's. Reaching in again, he grabbed a set of slender reins. "Helen usually rides bareback, she said, and without reins, but she said that it'd be best if we used gear."

"Hm," Alek replied intelligently, "Why'd she want both of us?"

"She said it didn't look like I could control her barking bird by itself, so I should find a small crew member to help."

"I'm not short!"

"You're shorter that me."

"True…"

Dylan shook his head, laughing slightly, and opened the door. Phillip turned around to glare at her. "Whoa, beastie," he said, holding his hands up in a submissive gesture, "No need to get riled up."

The giant hawk turned his head to affix Alek with a bright golden eye. Spotting the reins and saddle hanging from Dylan's hands, he settled slightly.

"He knows what this means," Dylan murmured softly, full of wonder. This bird was smart.

Alek was nervous as he watched Dylan strap the saddles on. Bands around the chest and neck, one set behind the wings. When nothing happened, he relaxed, watching Dylan slip the band around the bird's beak and head. The hawk gave an experimental clack of its beak before twisting its head to look outside.

"Alek, come here," Dylan told Alek.

Obliging, he was quite anxious when Dylan motioned for him to climb on the saddle on the back. "Um, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Yes, it's fine. Get on the barking bird."

Staring at the bird's huge back, he grabbed the saddle and hefted himself up, scrambling for a hold on the smooth feathers. Finally, he sat straight in the saddle. Dylan started tightening straps around his legs, which made him even more nervous. What could this bird do that needed this sort of safety for its riders?

Dylan grabbed the rope and put it in Alek's hand. "Don't tug until I say so."

He proceeded to sit in the saddle in front of Alek, much faster at getting in and making sure his leg straps were on tight enough. Holding the reins in one hand, he said, "Okay, Alek. Pull the rope." He was excited, a broad grin on his face.

Alek took a deep breath before doing so. The entire far side and bottom of the gondola swung away on hinges, revealing the wide open sky and the expanse of Russian land underneath them. He couldn't help it- he let out a gasp. In front of him, Dylan grinned even wider and told the bird, "Let's go!"

Phillip seemed to understand, crouching down. He looked out, tensing his body and ready to jump. Dylan was able to get out, "Better hold on tight, Alek!" before huge bird leaped into the air.

The humans shrieked along with the bird as they fell. They didn't fall for long, but it seemed like an endless forever of terror for Alek. They were going to die, they were going to die, he could see the ground approaching and the bird was actually pulling into more of a dive-

_Fwoosh_. With an almighty unfurling of the wings, Phillip was suddenly in control of the wind, heading upwards again in a gentle arc. Dylan paused in his high-pitched screaming to let out a whoop. "Phillip, that move was full of clart," he half-scolded.

The hawk said nothing, letting out a scream declaring that the air was his now.

When his heart had calmed down enough, he was able to appreciate the beauty of being free of gravity. It was one thing to be on the engine pods of the _Leviathan_¸ pelted with wind and the thrum of the membrane and gears under his fingers.

It was a completely different thing to be in flight on birdback. He could feel the pulsing of the heart, the beat of the muscles, the warmth of the body, and the thud of each wingbeat. So different.

"This is barking incredible!" Dylan cried, his voice oddly high-pitched.

"I know!" Alek called back, smiling now. The initial fear of falling dropped away and he reveled in the freedom of powered flight.

He would've loved to stay like that forever, a friend watching his back, the sun warming the feathers and his face, and the feeling of the air blowing across his face as they wheeled across the sky. But it wasn't that long until he felt Phillip make a subtle shift downwards. He could still see forever, but he was slowly getting closer to the ground.

"Ah, barking spiders," Dylan swore, pulling down his goggles, "He's hungry."

"He's not going to eat us, is he?" Alek was alarmed now, pulling his own pair on.

"Of course not," Dylan laughed, "He's looking for something else… a pig or a cow or something of that nature."

The hawk searched for several minutes. Dylan spotted the Asian deer at the same time he did. She was trailing a bit behind her herd, limping slightly. Beneath Alek, Phillip shifted his feathers and he was suddenly climbing higher again, higher than the high-altitude-cruising _Leviathan_ by several hundred feet.

At the height of the climb, Dylan realized what was happening before Alek did. "Barking spiders!" he yelped as the bird started to tilt downwards, "Hold on, Aleeekkkk!" The last word became another scream as the bird went into a near-vertical dive.

Alek dove forward and wrapped his arms around his friend's waist, suddenly terrified of flying off again. Dylan was leaning forward, making his shape more aerodynamic and staying closer to the neck.

The wind was cutting into his face as the bird accelerated before it seemingly couldn't go any faster… The wings were half-folded, close to the body, and the bird was even more streamlined.

Dylan shouted something, but even though he was so close, the wind whipped away his words. The bird rocketed closer and closer to the deer, which finally realized that she was in danger. The doe started running away with an uneven stride.

Just when Alek was completely sure that they were going to die by being smashed into the ground at insanely high speeds, Phillip's wing shape suddenly changed slightly and launched them into high-speed flight parallel to the ground. His beak ducked down and grasped the doe, slicing into her neck and killing her without losing an ounce of speed.

That done, the huge raptor angled himself up and he started giving powerful flaps as he ascended towards the _Leviathan_.

* * *

><p>Dylan finished resetting the cord before slumping against the wall and sliding into an exhausted heap on the floor. Alek matched his position across the hall. Inside his room, the hawk could be heard crunching on deer bones and meat happily.<p>

It was several moments before either of them spoke. "My _God_," Alek said softly.

Dylan shook his head. "I know," he replied, as quiet as Alek, "That was… barking insane."

"I've never gone that fast in my life," Alek exclaimed, looking up.

"Aye, me neither," Dylan breathed, taking off his goggles. Circles were pressed into his skin where they had been pushed against his face. His hair was practically straight back, forced that way from the power of the wind. Alek knew that his own hair was like that, and he had circles around his eyes as well.

They sat there for a moment, exhausted from their near-death experience. Eventually, Dylan pushed himself up. Wavering on his feet unsteadily for a moment, he said, "Let's go tell the new boffin that Phillip's fed and happy now."

The pair made their way to Dr. Barlow's cabin, their badly wind-blown hair attracting many stares. Alek heard a snatch of conversation when they arrived, despite the closed door.

"Come on, Nora, you need to wear pants every once in a while."

"No."

"Stick-in-the-mud," Helen complained, cutting off whatever else she was going to say when Dylan opened the door, Alek following him. Both her and her sister-in-law's eyes widened when they saw their hair. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Helen!" Dr. Barlow scolded, nudging her with her foot. Helen rolled her eyes.

"We flew Phillip, like you asked... Turns out the barking bird was hungry," Dylan explained.

"Ooh. He went into a dive, didn't he? I think he might have a bit too much peregrine in him." Helen understood.

"Aye. He's fed now," Dylan finished.

Helen shifted her gaze to Alek. "What'd he get?"

"A deer of some sort," he said.

"That's good. I hate it when he picks up some poor farmer's pig or cow. At least he doesn't eat sheep. Hates the amount of grooming he has to do after he tears off all the wool."

She paused in her little speech to smirk wickedly at them. "Hey, soon I can teach you how to ride bareback. Neither of you is in shock, sooo…" At the sight of Alek and Dylan's horrified expressions, she laughed. "I kid, I kid. So, glad to meet you, Prince Alek," she said, holding out a hand for the boy to shake.

* * *

><p>AN: Deryn wanted to fly. She got a little more than she bargained for... Honestly, I would want help myself with a bird that big, which is why she asked Alek.<p>

I hope you enjoyed more on Helen's birdie! More Bovril to come (I completely forgot about her here, I'm sorry!)


	4. Switched Places

AN: So. I was at soccer, and this idea hit me. Like, one minute I'm dribbling, and the next this idea is in my head. Bam. Naturally, I had to write it down… So, I present to you…

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><p>Deryn stared up at the sky, watching the stars glitter. Pressing her hand against the glass, she couldn't help but smile at the feel of the frosty window. The air was cool and crisp, then- the perfect weather for her to suit up and fly.<p>

She couldn't help but glance towards the dark, solid lump of a hangar was. There were her precious flying machines in there, the ones for her to draw and learn about and, occasionally, when she didn't have any formal thing that day… to fly.

Faint footsteps from the corridors made her ears prick. Catching her breath, she froze, barely daring to let her breath fog up the window. Carefully, she reached towards her bed, slipping a hand under the pillow and pulling out a standard military-use rigging knife.

"Deryn."

She relaxed, releasing her hold on the knife. "Count Volger," she said, nodding, "What is it?"

"And what are you doing, still up?" He was always quick when it came to retorts. Before she could respond, he shook his head and said, "Nevermind. Get dressed."

"Why?" Now, she was curious.

"Your father told us to give you night-flying lessons while he was away."

Deryn frowned. "That makes no barking sense. Mom would never agree to that."

"Let's just say you shouldn't mention this to Sophie."

"Aye."

Casting a glance back towards her closet, she asked, "I don't have to wear a stupid dress, do I?"

"No, I'd prefer that you wear your flying suit."

Grinning now, she shooed him out before getting dressed. Pulling the worn leather jacket on last, she glanced towards the door where her fencing tutor was. Sometimes, she thought that her parents had wished she was a boy instead of a girl, what with them giving her fencing lessons and all. Sometimes, she wished that too.

Pulling the rigging knife out, she placed it inside the sheath on her belt. Smiling slightly to herself, she left her room. Volger was nowhere to be seen. Puzzled, she started heading towards the hangar. As she paced down the hall, the mustached man walked up. "Ah, good, you're ready."

"We're going to the hanger, right?"

"Yes."

"What shall I be flying?" She was practically bouncing as she walked. It was difficult to get time to practice flying, due to the simple fact that she was a girl and expected to behave like a proper one. That, and the archduke's daughter at that.

While she was tying her hair back into a sandy colored ponytail, Volger briefed her. "You will be piloting the Skyhawk. Klopp will be with you all the way, of course."

A thought occurred to her. "Wait, you sound like you'll be coming too. What's that for? You never go with me when I fly."

Volger silently swore to himself. The girl was particularly intuitive tonight, eyes narrowed in suspicion at the wildcount. "It's your parents."

Deryn bit her lip. A million possibilities flew through her head, but only one really stood out. "The Germans?" she asked, voice quavering a bit.

"We think."

Gulping, Deryn continued on her way to the hanger. "We're making a run for it?"

"Yes, we are."

She strongly felt like crying now, but she knew one thing; her life was in extreme danger now, and her parents would never like her to be weak at a time like this. Maybe… this was the chance she'd been asking for, a chance to prove that she was every bit as good as any boy, royal or not. Of course, she hadn't wanted the chance to be quite like this.

"Let's hurry," she suggested, breaking into a brisk jog.

It wasn't long before they reached the aircraft hangar. The doors were open and a gorgeous machine had been pulled out. Deryn recognized the three men making final touches to the aircraft, making sure it would be perfect.

"Are you ready to go?" Volger called to them.

Klopp wiped his hands on an oily rag. "I think so, sir."

Volger motioned to the Skyhawk. "Well, go on."

Deryn shot him a glance before striding up to the aircraft. It was (in her opinion) the finest of a new class of air machines called helicopters. Although the cabin was thirty feet long and the tail added an extra fifteen feet to the length, it was elegant and one of the most graceful things in the air.

The propellers on the top meant that it could take straight off the ground, no runway necessary for takeoff. It was the closest thing to a bird the Clankers had, and Deryn thought they were much better than the strafing hawks those Darwinists used.

Climbing into the Skyhawk, Deryn looked around. It really looked like they were planning to be away a while, from what they packed. Some food, clothes, and money, money, money.

Bauer, Hoffman, and Klopp filed in, Volger bringing up the rear. Closing the door behind him, he said, "Anytime, Your Highness, would be nice."

Sensing urgency, she replied with, "Aye," and sat down in the pilot's seat. Klopp sat beside her as the copilot, and Bauer and Hoffman tended to other controls.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Deryn calmed herself down. Alarmingly, she could faintly hear the rumbling of machines. Were these friends or foes? Deryn wasn't going to sit around waiting.

Taking hold of the bulky headset, she reached over and started flipping switches. Speaking in an even tone, she started her command of the aircraft. "Engines, on." A rumbling started to fill the cabin. "Rotors, on." The trees around the Skyhawk started to wave with the force of the wind. "Master Klopp, are we ready for liftoff?"

"Yes, Miss," he replied.

"Mister Hoffman and Mister Bauer, are we ready for liftoff?"

"All signals are good," Hoffman told her.

"Count Volger, are you ready?"

"Yes," he responded shortly.

Flicking on a final pair of switches, Deryn took the piloting joystick and told them, "We are ready for lift off."

* * *

><p>AN: I hope you guys liked it! By the way… would anyone be curiouslike it if I turned some of these one-shots into stories that I upload part by part to this? Would anyone like to see more of Helen Barlow? Any requests?


	5. Musings About a Loris

AN: This a sequel ficlet to "Tales From a Loris". Hopefully, more of these shall come later.

* * *

><p>Bovril raised her head into the wind. The engines made a rumble-noise behind her, and the <em>barking prince<em> was working on them. Bovril liked the noise, imitating it.

Alek gave the loris an amused glance. "I guess you like the engines, don't you Bovril?"

Bovril continued her purring sound.

They'd been in the air for almost a week now, heading full speed ahead towards Japan. They were nearly to China by now.

Alek sat back from the engine, examining his working. "Klopp!" he called, speaking in German, "I don't think we need to work on this engine anymore!"

The injured mechanics master limped over, looking over the engine. "You're right, young master. It looks good to me."

"Can I leave?" Alek asked Mr. Hirst, this time in English, who was watching him with a curious look. "I think it's in perfect condition right now."

"Perfect," Bovril parroted.

He shrugged. "I guess. But you're supposed to have a guard." After a quick glance upwards, he yelled, "Mr. Sharp!"

"_Mr_. Sharp," Bovril corrected.

Alek shushed him, "Hush."

'Dylan' stared down from where she was sketching. "Yeah?"

"Watch Alek for me, will ya?"

'He' nodded. "Of course."

Alek spoke to the _beastie_ riding on his shoulder. "Hang on tight, Bovril." With that said, he started to climb the _ratlines_ up to 'Dylan', with Bovril cackling all the way up.

She gave the loris a strange look. "I really do think she's lost it," 'Dylan' muttered.

Bovril giggled. She could practically see the future laid out in front of her- '_Dylan_' was the one who'd lost it if she thought she could stay like this forever. But, it was not Bovril's place to reveal what she was. "Lost it. _Mr._ Sharp," she chuckled, connecting a _barking_ new phrase and her favorite one.

'Dylan' glowered at the loris, while Alek laughed.

"I still can't believe that she's a she," he said after his chuckles trailed off, "I would've thought by the way that she acted that she was male."

"Male!" Bovril said. Like her brotherkin.

"Yes, Bovril," Alek said, not skipping a beat, "There are so many females on this ship!"

'Dylan' deadpanned, "Well, how else are the barking things going to breed?"

"Um…"

Bovril starting cackling again. _Blisters_! _Barking prince_ wasn't thinking! _Dummkopf_!

"You're not helping, Bovril," Alek grumbled, a bit amused.

"Help!"

'Dylan' started laughing now. "She's quite a clever-boots, isn't she?"

Alek was about to respond when a cry rose above the wind; "We're in China!"

* * *

><p>"Don't get so excited," Dr. Barlow told 'Dylan', "We've still quite a ways to go."<p>

"Aye," 'Dylan' replied, nodding and squinting up at the Huxley, "Are you sure putting Newkirk in the Huxley is a good idea? Remember what happened last time he was in a Huxley?"

"He came down safely."

"Oh. Well, I mean last time before I went to put the barnacles on the net."

Bovril thought on this. The Huxley reminded her of the balloons she'd seen in Istanbul- big, on a string, and floaty. "Balloon?" she voiced.

"No, Bov," 'Dylan' corrected, for once, "this isn't a balloon. It's alive, and it's more like a jellyfish."

Bovril decided that she liked the living balloon. "Balloon!"

"Huxley." The other, male brotherkin loris poked his head towards Bovril from where he was sitting on Dr. Barlow's bowler hat.

'Dylan' smiled at this, but a flicker of worry flash through her eyes. "Ma'am, is it just me, or are the loris' getting smarter every day?"

The _boffin_ frowned. "It seems so. I fabricated them to be quite perspicacious, but I wasn't expecting them to be this... far-sighted."

"Perspicacious." That was her favorite word.

"Hey, Dr. Barlow?"

"Yes, Dylan?"

"_Mr_. Sharp," both loris' said together.

Ignoring them, 'Dylan' continued with, "You don't have a name for the male loris, do you?"

"No. Don't you remember the lesson about not getting attached to the fabrications?" Dr. Barlow asked, a bit _sharp_ly.

"Aye, I do. But…" 'Dylan' stopped here to shout up at Newkirk, "Oi! Are you okay up there?"

Newkirk glanced down, hearing her voice faintly.

"Y!" Bovril chirped, looking at the boy's motions, "E! S!"

"He's fine," 'Dylan' confirmed cheerfully.

Dr. Barlow gave Bovril an alarmed look. "She knows the semaphore signals?"

"Aye. She kinda picked them up on her own."

Dr. Barlow looked troubled by this.


	6. Tesla

"Mr. Tesla?" Deryn poked her head into the room, trying to find the supposed electric al genius.

Ah, there he was. Deryn thought his room was a little strange. Everything was put into even neater places than it had been when he had arrived. A pair of suitcases was in one corner, a perfect stack of papers on a desk.

He looked up from where he'd been reading on a chair. A book about… pigeons? Deryn was beginning to see how he'd be considered strange. "Yes, Mr. Sharp?"

"Ms. Barlow told me that she wanted to try out a device of yours on the topside," she relayed the information.

The polite man's face creased slightly as he closed his eyes in exasperation. "Oh. That again." Getting up, he opened one of the cases and, removing some carefully arranged packaging, pulled out something in a leather sheath.

"What's that?" Deryn asked, genuinely curious as they exited the room.

"You'll see."

It was only a short amount of time before they had climbed to the top. Helen was there, hands on her hips, a space cleared around her and a grin on her face. "Ah, Nicky," she greeted him, "Will you finally allow me to test out that thing you've been messing with for the past month?"

Deryn spotted Alek amongst the crowd, nearby. Catching his gaze, she mouthed, 'Nicky?' He shrugged, confused as well.

"You never give up, do you?" the man replied.

"Absolutely not. Now…" she held out her hand.

He reluctantly handed the leather case over. "If you get shocked, it's not my fault."

"I know, I know. And the airship won't go up in flames, don't worry, the sniffers are sure of that," Helen added, rolling her eyes.

She was quite demanding. Nikola backed up slightly, into the crowd. Following his lead, Deryn slipped in beside Alek. "I'm a bit worried about this," Alek muttered.

Deryn shook her head. "It'll be fine," she reassured, "She knows what she's doing."

Alek was about to reply when he caught a glimpse of the item Helen withdrew. She dropped the case to her feet, examining the strange-looking gun with a curious look. A nearly-transparent chamber enclosed a few coppery wires that were spiraled around a thicker copper rod. The tip was metal, of a more silvery material than the connecting rod.

Helen stroked the weird gun, fingers lingering on the black handle and copper connectors. After giving the small, clear chamber in the back a final look, she apparently found a dial. After turning it to the number that she apparently wanted, she held it in her right hand, aiming at the sky.

Her finger squeezed the trigger.

And a lightning bolt shot out of the tip.

It was more of several small ones that crackled around each other. Naturally, everyone jumped.

Deryn's eyes were round. Alek's jaw had dropped. And Volger and Dr. Barlow were showing their shocked emotions at the weapon Helen Barlow now had in her possession.

"Wow, Nicky," she said, the first to break the silence, "This is really awesome. Can I keep it? Or we can make more of them. Do they have a name?"

Although he was pleased that his invention had worked (and hadn't blown the ship up), he shook his head. "It doesn't have a name. Once I make more, you can have it."

Helen nodded, a thoughtful look on her face as she talked, seemingly to herself. "A Nicky? Nah, too childish. A Nikola? Better…" She trailed off, looking at her travel partner directly. "Tesla. It should be called a Tesla."


	7. Switched Places Part 2

Deryn breathed deeply, smiling to herself. Finally, all that wretched hair was being chopped away. She fidgeted in her seat. "Volger, you done yet?"

He glared at her. "Be still. I'm trying to make you look as much like a boy as possible. That won't be hard, as you don't have much to hide…" The thinly-veiled jibe made her huff and cross her arms over her chest. He smirked.

With a finally snip, he stepped back, examining his work. "So, _princess_, I think you look quite princely."

The girl with the newly short hair gave him a half-amused, half-skeptical look. "Do you have a mirror?" she asked, ruffling her hair and marveling at the shortness of it.

Sure enough, Volger had one. Producing it, Deryn stared at herself. She _did_ look a lot like a boy- a bit of an elfish one, with fine features and bright eyes. Even so… a blond-haired boy was much less likely to be remembered than a tall girl with long golden locks.

Dipping her head to her fencing instructor, she said, "Thank you, Count."

He paused for a moment, surprised by this, but the initial surprise faded when he saw her slight smirk. "Come on," he said gruffly, "Back to the Skyhawk."

Grinning to herself, Deryn trotted back towards the waiting helicopter. Bauer let out a low whistle when he saw her. "I thought you were a boy when I first saw you, Princess," he said.

"Thank you, Hans," she replied, "It's barking short now, but I like it."

Volger lead her inside, calling to the others to hurry up and get inside. When that was done and he was settled behind Deryn, he said, "Your body language is still feminine, Your Highness. But we'll make a man out of you, don't worry."

Fixing him with a hard glare, she put the headset on as Klopp, the last person in, closed the door. "Okay, where to?" she asked Volger.

He glanced at the map he'd pulled out. "We'll be following the wind currents for the next couple of days- by then we'll reach our destination."

"Where's that?" she asked, starting up the machine.

"You'll see, Princess."

* * *

><p>"We're going to barking Switzerland," Deryn said abruptly. She'd been flying all day now, and the direction they were heading in as well as well as the safety of the location made sense now.<p>

Volger was startled. He'd known that the princess would've figured out where they were going eventually, but he hadn't expected that she'd do that so quickly.

Deryn caught sight of his facial expression in her peripheral vision and smirked. "Aye, I'm right, aren't I?"

He sighed. "Yes, Deryn, you're right."

"So you admit it," she continued to gloat, "And you say I don't pay attention in geography."

At least she was talking and fairly happy. The Count knew that she hadn't put her parents' death completely behind her, but at least she was able to put it aside for now. "How did you figure this out?" he asked her, trying to keep her talking.

She was content to show off her small victory with an explanation. "Well, first off, we're going west. Second, Switzerland is neutral territory- meaning the Germans can't track us down. And thirdly… well, I don't have a barking third reason."

Volger chuckled at this. The blond twisted her head around to shoot him a grin before looking back out the windscreen. He knew her well, how she liked to gloat and swear and walk around with an unladylike swagger. He'd let her when she was under his care.

He'd been the one the Archduke had hired to teach his daughter language, music, fencing, and a variety of other things. He was her primary tutor, and sometimes, it seemed like he was more of a father to her than Franz had been. She didn't see him much.

But as they flew towards Switzerland, he was glad that it had been that way.

Deryn was quiet for a while, still flying towards the setting sun despite having been flying since early morning. Volger started surveying the ground below, searching for a town they could land near. They'd need more fuel soon. To keep her mind active, he decided to help her with her boy disguise. "Deryn, let's work on your boy voice," he suggested.

She didn't protest, just shooting him a quick glance. "Um, how's this?" she said in a ridiculously deep voice (that didn't really sound like a boy). In her normal voice, she quickly spat out, "Barking spiders, that's silly!"

"We'll work on it, Deryn. Try again."

* * *

><p>AN: Yep. Creative title, yeah. As you've probably figured out, there's currently three short story arcs going on in this fic: the <em>Tales From a Loris<em> arc, detailing life on the _Leviathan_ through Bovril's eyes, the _Sisters_ arc, which involves Helen Barlow, and the _Switched Places_ one, where I switched Alek and Deryn's places.

Yup. I hope this clears up any confusion someone might have over my organizing system.

Oh, and the next chapter in this arc will feature Alek.~

Edit: The reason I don't post three separate stories... well, these all kinda started out as one-shots, but they kinda expanded from there... And, it's easier for me to keep track of them all in here. Plus, the chapters in the arcs are more loosely tied together than in a normal story (for me). So, yup.


	8. Terminal Velocity

"Uh, Helen, are you sure this is a good idea?" Alek asked uncertainly. She'd called him to help seeing as Dylan and Newkirk were unavailable, both tending to their midshipman duties. Alek actually knew how to perform the test she required, seeing as he'd been taught by the blond middie.

"Trust me," she grinned at him through her goggles, "It'll be fine. I haven't had the opportunity to test this out yet." She pulled on a pair of leather gloves, squinting out at the sky.

Alek gave Phillip a nervous look. Helen had brought the bird out and put a different set of reins and saddle on him. These were lightweight, like usual, but thicker and stronger than usual. The saddle's leg straps were more than usual, and the way the reins were arranged on the bird was very different.

As Helen tugged on her dark brown leather jacket, she asked Alek once more, "You do remember exactly how we're doing this, right?"

"Yes," Alek replied cautiously.

She nodded. "Good." Standing with her hands on her hips and a dead pig behind her, she told him, "Repeat how we're going to do this for me."

"I'm going to shove this pig over the side and, after waiting fifteen seconds, you're going to go after it."

"Precisely," she replied, smirking.

Mr. Tesla was watching the exchange. "Helen, be careful," he told her.

She waved away his comment. "I'll be fine," she reassured him. A thought occurred to her. "Oh, right, and Alek, what will you do the instant we go after the pig?"

"Start timing how long it takes you to get to the pig."

"Good. Now, I think it's time for the experiment, correct?" When no one said anything, she trotted over to her gargantuan bird. Making low cooing sounds to him, she mounted him and fed her legs through the straps, tightening them to keep her firmly there. A chest harness Alek hadn't seen was put on as well and attached to another strap of the complex harness.

Taking the reins, she glanced at Alek, the sunlight glinting off her goggles, and said, "Ready!"

* * *

><p>"Where's Helen?" Dr. Barlow asked suddenly, looking up from where she was giving a sulky loris a bath.<p>

Deryn frowned. "I have no barking idea. I thought you knew where she was."

"No…" Dr. Barlow straightened up slowly, thinking to herself. She opened the door to her cabin and caught the arm of a crew member passing by. "Do you happen to know where my sister is?" she asked him.

He shrugged. "No. I have no bloody idea where either she or a pig I was going to feed to the hawks is."

Realization dawned on Dr. Barlow's face, followed quickly by exasperation and a hint of fear. "Can't she stay out of trouble for one moment?" she exclaimed before quickly heading out, pushing the crew member aside as she hurried towards topside.

Dylan scurried after her, startled by the change in her behavior. "Dr. Barlow? What's going on?"

(meanwhile, in the room, the male loris took the opportunity to flee the bath with a cry of, "Free!")

Dr. Barlow huffed as she reached the latch to the outside of the gondola. As she went through it, she explained, "Helen's been wondering about the top speed of her bird for a while now. She's been curious as to whether or not it can beat the terminal velocity of a falling human, since she put peregrine falcon into it."

Deryn frowned as she followed the boffin that was climbing out. "Terminal velocity?"

"The top speed a falling object can reach. It's when gravity's pull matches air resistance."

"And her bird can beat that?"

"She thinks so. This is why she has the pig. It should have similar mass to a human, and the surface area should be sufficient for her needs as well," Dr. Barlow continued, climbing towards the top of the _Leviathan_, "Knowing her, she's going to shove it off the ship and go diving after it with her bird. That's why she's performing this when on the ship, not on her own time- it's easier for Phillip, as climbing can be tiring for the bird, and hovering isn't its strong suit."

Dr. Barlow kept climbing at a rapid pace. "I don't know what she's planning, but I don't think this test is a good idea. I never did. I told her it was far too dangerous!"

* * *

><p>"Go!" Helen commanded atop her feathered steed.<p>

Alek nudged the pig forward until it plummeted off the _Leviathan_, falling, falling, falling. It would keep falling for a long time; the ship was cruising at a solid five thousand feet.

He watched the time on the watch Helen had provided him. When fifteen seconds had passed, he raised his arm, giving her the signal. With a loud, birdlike shriek, she and her bird dove off the ship.

Alek honestly didn't know what to think of Helen Barlow, especially at times like this. She was a woman, yes, but… to be honest, she scared Alek a little. That fact was partially helped by the fact that Phillip obeyed her every order without a single second of hesitation. She walked with as much swagger as Dylan and had as much skill with beasts as Dr. Barlow. And she trusted her raptor to catch her when she jumped off the ship. Very, very unusual.

Almost immediately after she plunged off the flying whale, her sister let out a vocal cry of, "No!"

He was surprised- he hadn't expected Dr. Barlow to be up here. Even stranger, a very confused Dylan was here as well.

Dr. Barlow pressed her hands to her forehead. "I told her not to do this, the forces will be immense, she could get knocked out," she hissed.

Dylan was peering over. Alek joined him in looking over as Mr. Tesla and Dr. Barlow expressed their frustrations over Helen deliberately doing incredible stupid things "For science!"

Far below, a reddish smudge was all that they could see of the hawk. "How fast does the pig have to go for it to reach terminal velocity?" Dylan asked Dr. Barlow.

She broke away from her worried ranting to reply, "About 125 miles per hour, which means it'll take about fifteen seconds to reach that."

"How fast do peregrine falcons go?"

"At least 200 miles per hour, sometimes more."

Alek watched in awe as the hawk's shape suddenly changed as his wings unfurled. "I think she's got the pig," he said.

* * *

><p>Dr. Barlow hugged her extremely windswept sister tightly, saying fiercely, "Don't ever do that again! The straps could've broken with those speeds, or you could've gotten knocked out, or-"<p>

Helen rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a worrywart," she complained, although she was smiling.

Dr. Barlow stepped back, holding her sister by the shoulders. "You could've died. The forces at that speed are immense."

"I know, but I had to prove-"

"Helen, you don't have to prove anything," Tesla stepped in. Deryn and Alek watched with wide eyes as Tesla and Dr. Barlow talked to Helen. "You're an incredible woman, and, honestly, if you think that you're bird can beat terminal velocity, it probably can."

Something flashed in Helen's eyes. "Sometimes saying it isn't enough," she replied, "And with people like me, they don't believe you until you prove it."

Dr. Barlow watched her sister-in-law. "Just don't do that again, please."

Helen grinned from ear-to-ear. "Are you kidding? That was incredible!"

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry for not uploading in a while, but I'm going to a genetics camp for a week starting tomorrow (whoo-hoo, starting my career as a boffin!) and I'm not going to be able to write on Collin (my computer), much less upload, during that time. So... yeah.<p>

Do not try what Helen did at home. Peregrine falcons can, in a dive, reach 242 mph, but they, unlike you, can fly out of it. Dr. Barlow was right in being worried about Helen- the forces at that speed when you pull up and such can knock you out.

Oh, and funny fact- I kept trying to write "Velociraptor" instead of "velocity".


	9. Boredom

AN: Look, everyone! An actual one-shot! I wrote it while being extremely bored (and lectured beyond comprehension) at boffin camp! I learned a lot and extracted DNA from chicken liver and saline citrate smoothie, though, so I think it all worked out. Plus I made a lot of doodles, yay!

* * *

><p>Deryn swung her feet back and forth off the edge of her bed. There was a rare break from work on the airship; the engines were working perfectly, the membrane was taunt and without leaks, and Dr. Barlow wasn't demanding that Tazza be taken on a walk. She could enjoy this small amount of peace, perfectly happy just drawing.<p>

Alek, on the other hand…

"Dylan, I'm bored," he whined, sounding like a little kid.

She shot him a quick, half-amused glare before turning back to her drawing. "Then find something to do."

"What is there to do?" He rolled on his back in the other bunk in the room, staring at the ceiling.

"Draw."

"I don't have the stuff to do that."

Sighing, Deryn ripped a page out from her sketchbook and tossed it at him. Unfortunately, tossing paper doesn't work well; it fluttered to the floor. When Alek reached for it, Deryn chucked a spare pencil at his head.

"Ow!"

"Whoops."

He glowered at her. "You're so mean sometimes." When Deryn said nothing, he grabbed a book and put the paper on it so he'd have something to bear down on. He stared at the blank sheet for a few seconds before proclaiming, "I don't know what to draw."

"Draw Bov." The loris was curled up asleep at Deryn's feet.

"How would I do that?"

"Sketch first. Start with the head…"

"I get it, I get it…"

After a few moments of furious scribbling, Alek threw down the pencil. Balling up the sketch, he chucked it across the room. He stood up and exited the room, saying, "I give up! I can't draw. I'm going to do find Volger."

Once the door shut, Deryn let out the giggle she'd been holding back. Bovril, having been woken up by the slam of the door, mimicked the laughter. Stroking the loris' head, Deryn told her, "Frustrated Alek is so barking funny, isn't he?"

"Funny!"

"I thought you'd agree." Smirking, Deryn held her drawing back to view it from a distance. At the sight of her rather accurate rendition of an irritated Alek, she couldn't help but burst out laughing again.


	10. Confessions and Boffin Conventions

"Ah, yes, since we're arriving in Japan tomorrow, we'll be greeted with a welcome party. Literally, actually," the captain of the _Leviathan_ explained. Deryn exchanged a glance with Alek at this. "I expect everyone to be in full dress uniform when we land tomorrow."

"Great. I expect that I'll be abandoned tomorrow," Alek complained sulkily.

"And give you the possibility to escape again? Not a chance," Deryn pointed out.

"True…"

Almost as if summoned by those words, they heard a familiar voice shout, "Hey! Dylan! Alek!"

"Hello, Helen," Deryn deadpanned on default, not even bothering to turn around. Helen had done this sort of thing the _entire way to Japan_. She was getting used to it by now.

Helen stopped her with a hand on her shoulder and spun her around. "Okay, Alek, we figured out how we're going to keep an eye on you during the party," she said, a slight smirk on her face.

"How?"

She did a slight head-tilt, the smirk widening. "Well, you're going to be with Dylan the entire night, for starters. And secondly… you'll be known as Midshipman Alexander Ferdinand."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe this. She was dead serious about this," Deryn said disbelievingly. She was in her fancy dress uniform, and Alek was in a borrowed one.<p>

"Does Helen ever bluff?" Alek questioned.

She had to think about that. "No, I don't think so."

"She was serious about firing that gun, serious about us taking her bird for a fly, serious about trying to beat terminal velocity… She's insane, Dylan. That's what I think," Alek confessed.

She laughed slightly. "But she knows what she's doing, and she's barking brilliant with the beasties. I like her."

"Thank you, Dylan." The pair jumped as they realized Helen had opened the door and was looking in. "I appreciate the compliment. I would also appreciate it if you got ready to go out now."

"It's time already?"

"Better believe it. Come, middies."

As the pair trooped out of the room after Helen, finding Tesla waiting for her as well, she suddenly paused. "Oh, Alek, I think Nora wanted you to bring Bovril. She said she was in her room, because she was giving the thing a bath. Might want to go fetch her."

"What do we need Bov for?" Alek was clearly confused.

Helen rolled her eyes, gesturing to the top of her head where Alek and Deryn finally noticed a black bowler hat. "It's sort of a boffin convention, too, as well as a welcome party. Meaning I have to wear this silly hat."

"Oh, shush," Tesla chided her, "You know you like dressing up and showing off."

"Too true, Nicky. Okay, Alek, run along. We'll wait for you here, then," she shooed him away.

Deryn watched him go, not aware that Helen was waiting for him to leave. The instant he was out of earshot, the boffin casually remarked, "So, Dylan, Nikola and I were wondering why you haven't told Alek your little secret yet."

Deryn froze. No, no, no….she'd been found out? By a boffin and her companion, who'd been on the ship for only two and a half weeks? Bloody hell… What could she do? "I-I don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered, heart beating rapidly.

Helen fixed her with a critical eye. Despite the fact that woman was even shorter than Alek, Deryn felt tiny in her dark brown gaze. "Really, Dylan? That's not going to work on us. All three of us know that you and I have quite a lot in common."

So she _did_ know. It wasn't a random guess like Dr. Barlow's that ended up being right, but right about the wrong secret.

"Please don't tell anyone," she pleaded, not sounding like herself.

The woman laughed. "Dylan, do you really think I'd do that? I'm not heartless."

Tesla, who'd been doing no more than watching the pair of them from beside the wall, said quietly, "You are aware that Helen would never do that? She's like you. She flies, she wears pants and short hair, and she's a woman."

"Thank you, Nikola," Helen thanked him with a nod before turning to Deryn. The panic she'd initially felt was beginning to die down. "So, Dylan, just to tell you, I think you're, as you say, barking brilliant for doing this. And, if I were you, I'd tell Alek sometime soon. Poor boy's too oblivious to figure it out on his own."

* * *

><p>Alek had been to a lot of fancy parties and such, but none of those which he'd attended were quite this… interesting. This was in part due to Helen (obviously), who was strutting around in a low-cut silver dress that was quite ruffled at the bottom. Dr. Barlow and Tesla hadn't even tried to get her to not stand out quite so much.<p>

She'd thrown her much-hated hat out the window first chance she got, had eventually (somehow) gotten Phillip in the ballroom and was currently stroking him with a black-gloved hand, and was eating raw fish on rice with gusto. And yet, the Japanese boffins loved her. It turned out that she was fluent in Japanese, a language Alek had never practiced.

He'd stuck with Dylan the entire night. They eyed a plate of the raw fish and rice with apprehension. "They call this sushi," Dylan mused, "I'm not sure if this is safe to eat. It looks barking suspicious."

Alek reached for one of the sushi rolls. "Helen's been eating them all night… I think they're safe…"

"Well, Helen's not exactly normal, is she?" Dylan countered, still suspicious of the sushi despite the fact that his best friend was considering eating one.

Quickly, before he could change his mind, Alek shoved it in his mouth. Dylan stared at him in alarm as he chewed and swallowed. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Alek nodded. "I'm fine. I don't think I'll try eating that again, though…" Suddenly, the boffin convention, as Helen called it, felt stifling. The ballroom was packed with crew members from the _Leviathan_, Japanese boffins and high-ups, and a giant bird. "I'm going to get some fresh air," he declared, standing and moving towards the doors leading to the multiple small balconies.

He wasn't surprised to find that Dylan followed him out. The blond boy looked oddly nervous as he stared up at the night sky. There was a strange calm out here, with the music and chatter from the party behind them. They were alone, finally able to relax.

Dylan's voice was soft when, after a few minutes of silence, he said, "Hey, Alek?"

He turned to him. "Yeah, Dylan?"

Dylan didn't say anything for a moment before turning full-on to Alek. His blue eyes were huge- was that fear in them? "I haven't been completely honest with you…" he murmured, looking down a bit, not quite meeting his eyes.

"What do you mean, Dylan?" Alek was curious now, but a feeling of dread was creeping on him.

"…I'm a girl, Alek," he- no, _she_ whispered.

"_What_?"

"Shhh!" she shushed, frantically looking around.

He felt betrayed. He felt furious. He felt confused. Other than the fact that Dylan was now speaking in a more feminine voice, he wouldn't have been able to tell that she was, well, a she. "W-w-why?" he stuttered out.

"Alek, be quiet! I don't want anyone hearing this," she hissed, "Barking spiders, work with me here!"

Well, at least Dylan was still Dylan, no matter which gender she was acting as… "Fine!" he said, quietly, "I'll be quiet. But why, Dylan?"

"I had to fly, plain and simple," she explained, "and my ma was intent that I would never do that at home…"

"So you ran off, disguised yourself as a boy, and joined the crew of the _Leviathan_? That's a bit extreme…"

"But it worked, didn't it? I had you dead convinced," she said with a slight smile.

"Why are you so happy, now of all times?"

She sighed. It occurred to Alek that he didn't even know her real name. "I thought you wouldn't take it this well… but promise me something!" She was suddenly fervent, staring at him intently. "Don't tell _anyone_. Please."

He couldn't hold her intense gaze. "I-I don't like this, Dylan," he said, "I don't like the idea of women in the war like th-"

She smacked him. "Lilit was fine, wasn't she?" she growled.

"I, uh-"

"And I've proved myself, haven't I? I kept your secret. Keep this one for me."

He couldn't argue with that… he looked at her again. "Fine. I'll do it."

He was unprepared for the tight hug she gave him. "Thank you, Alek," she murmured.

* * *

><p>AN: Aw, crap, is that a plot forming? No! Stay away from here, plots!<p> 


	11. Names for a Loris

"Bovril." She couldn't figure out why her brotherkin did not have a name. It was rather silly, giving her a name but not him.

He tilted his head at her, not sure how to respond. "Barking spiders," he eventually responded.

"_Mr._ Sharp," Bovril giggled.

"I do wish she'd stop saying that," 'Dylan' complained to Alek.

He suppressed an amused smile. "She must really like you, then."

"Aye, I guess. She's been teaching the other loris how I speak, too," the not-boy added.

"Barking spiders!" Bovril's brother exclaimed for emphasis.

"How mad do you think Dr. Barlow's going to be when she finds out?" Alek asked, slightly worried.

'Dylan' shrugged. "No idea. Better hope she doesn't throw us off the ship, aye?"

Alek grinned. "Yes, that'd be best."

There was a lull in the conversation, as the pair of them watched Bovril and her brother play-fight. "Hey, does Bovril's brother have a name?"

"Name!"

Frowning, Alek replied, "No… I don't think so…"

"So it's Bovril and loris, then," the blond said. She paused. "Barking idiotic, that is."

"I thought they weren't supposed to name them, though. Not get attached," Alek commented.

'Dylan' rolled her eyes. "The loris is attached to her. The only reason it's fine being away from her now is because his sister's here. And there's only two of them, anyway. They both deserve names."

Bovril's brotherkin sat up on his hind legs, ears perked. "Names?"

"Name," Bovril confirmed.

This started up an excited flurry of exclamations of "Name!" 'Dylan' giggled at this.

Alek stroked the male loris' head softly. "What shall you be called?" he asked, half to himself.

"Something close to 'loris'," the girl-not-boy responded, thinking. "Lori? Nah, that sounds like a barking girl's name."

"What about something else tea-related?" Alek suggested.

"Earl?"

"Herb?"

'Dylan' laughed. "I don't think that'll work. Loris… Lori… Larry!"

Alek frowned again. "Larry?"

"I think it fits, you ninny," 'Dylan' said, mildly annoyed by how he didn't immediately get it.

"Mmm…" Alek hummed slightly, thinking hard.

"Larry!" Bovril cried.

"Larry!" her brother replied.

"Aye, Larry."

Alek smiled slightly. "Larry it is, then."

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><p>AN: Yes! I finally got something done! Unintended hiatus, over. It's short, I know, but... at least it's something, right?<p> 


	12. Ziz

AN: Yep. New bit to the Sisters arc.

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><p>Deryn wasn't quite sure what to make of Japan. It was gorgeous, with swooping architecture complementing the landscape and with strange beasties galore. Everything was done with elegance, meaning that she was itching to get out her sketchpad and draw.<p>

The people looked different, with slightly slanted, almost catlike eyes and straight dark hair. They spoke in a language that was very different from any of the many languages she'd heard in Istanbul. Oddly enough, Dr. Barlow struggled with the language, speaking mainly in short, choppy sentences.

Meanwhile, Helen spoke with a fluidity similar to that of the natives.

She'd gone over the plan with Alek and the middies beforehand. To disguise the prince, she'd said that he'd would be a third midshipman under the name Alexander Ferdinand. Dr. Barlow had agreed with this logic, adding that it would be safer for the boy to be brought with them rather than left on the ship, where he might make another escape attempt.

He stood next to her now in one of Newkirk's uniforms, eyes huge and staring around. He was quite nervous here, and, judging by his expression, he didn't understand the rapid-fire Japanese being exchanged between Helen and their welcoming guides.

Helen nodded her head fervently, sounding like she was saying, "Hi," before turning to the _Leviathan_'s crew and telling them (in English), "Welcome to Japan! Mr. Furukawa gives us his greetings and says arrangements will be made for us. We will be allowed a small vacation of sorts, so he says, where we can relax for the few days we will be here. He will make sure the airship is taken care of."

A cheer went up at that. As the crew dispersed, the Dr. Barlows walked up to the middies and Alek. "We'll be taking a tour of the experimental beast facilities," Dr. Barlow told them, "I wish to bring a few things, which means Alek will be coming with us. Mr. Sharp, I may be in need of your services once again."

Meaning carrying the boffin's stuff. That would be barking fabulous, she thought sarcastically.

"Newkirk, I know you're nervous about the beasties. Do you want to come or not?" Helen asked bluntly.

The midshipman shook his head frantically. "No, miss."

Helen nodded decisively. "Whatever works for you."

Dr. Barlow continued with, "Come, we must get my things."

"And Phillip and Nikola."

As they made their way back to the ship, Deryn had to wonder what Helen wanted her giant bird for, as well as the man.

* * *

><p>"And now, Mr. Ibuki and I are proud to present a new beastie," Helen told the group.<p>

Tesla looked like he knew what she was going to say, but Dr. Barlow looked faintly curious. Alek was more on edge than ever after seeing the many beasties of Japan.

There had been some strange ones: large, scaly monsters that dragged their spiky tails, an orange lizard with big eyes and an ability to spit burning chemicals, a new dinosaur with feathers and curved claws that Helen had loved at first sight.

Helen paused in front of the door out of the building. The building itself was really just a small pavilion on top of a hill with an incredibly high and sturdy-looking fence stretching away on both sides. The trees were immense here and blocked any view of what was beyond.

"Together, the pair of us, plus Nikola, created a machine and a companion beastie," Helen said, grinning. Pushing open the door with a grandeur arm motion, she finished with, "And now, I wish to present to you the beast portion of the Goliath Project."

Deryn felt her jaw drop. Beyond the open door was a balcony, and, beyond that, a fabrication big enough to take on the _Leviathan_. The head was faintly reminiscent of a crocodile's, or maybe a Spinosaur's. Fangs poked out from its lips. Two teeth were much bigger than the rest.

She took a step back as the creature swiveled its head around. Intelligent yellow eyes surveyed the land from beneath a crest of bone that swept back slightly. It had a thick neck and a muscle-bound body that was light brown. The back legs were a bit longer than the front and rippled with powerful muscles. A thick, though shortish tail swung behind the beast.

Scarily, its feet were huge as well, with curved claws that gleamed in the sunlight. Helen grinned like a maniac at Dr. Barlow's awestruck expression. "Didn't think that the Ziz got this big, didja? A solid two hundred feet from tail-tip to nose. A hundred feet tall. At least. I'm not sure how much they weigh, but believe me, it's a lot."

Alek looked downright terrified. Gulping, he stuttered, "Th-that's a big animal, Helen."

She laughed. "Don't I know it. Last time I checked, we had a pack of seven. None have died, have they?" she asked Mr. Ibuki, who shook his head. So he understood English.

Deryn was bursting with questions. "What are they made of?"

"Blood, muscle, tendons, bone… Nah, I know what you're talking about. You haven't seen a head like that before, have you?"

She shook her head in reply.

Helen gazed at her creature fondly. "We used a lot of Gorgonops life threads, but some Allosaurus fragilis, a bit of cave lion, and various Ankylosaurus relatives. For the most part. We used mainly extinct animals."

"It's quite something, Helen," Dr. Barlow commented.

"Mr. Ibuki deserves credit as well," she dismissed the compliment, waving at the Japanese man; "He helped quite a lot. And Nikola has the non-organic portion of the Goliath Project as well."

Alek cleared his throat. "What were they made for?" he asked in a slightly frightened voice.

Helen's face became grave. "Almost purely for the purpose of taking down the big Clanker dreadnoughts. See the hind legs? Notice how strong they are? Well, assuming Ushio here- yes, we have them named, helps us keep track of them- were to spot a dreadnought…"

Mr. Ibuki finally spoke. "She'd take off running and jump. The Ziz can hit speeds of at least fifty miles per hour when they get going, and they can keep that up for a while. They can jump their body height without too much difficulty. Those claws and teeth will rip and pierce the pipes and such."

"They keep their balance like cats and can swim. Their sight, smell, and hearing are excellent," Helen added.

"That's barking amazing," Deryn breathed, moving to the edge of the balcony for a better look.

"But where is Nikola's machine?" Dr. Barlow asked.

Something changed in Helen's posture. She was getting down to business. "This is why we called the _Leviathan_ to Japan," she explained, "Mr. Tesla's machine has been stolen by the Germans and taken to an unknown location. We do not know where that place specifically is, but we believe it is in the United States."

"The United States?" Deryn blurted out, "How barking insane are these people? If the US catches them on their territory, they're dead meat!"

Dr. Barlow was thoughtful. "There is a certain element of genius to it- the US is the last place they'd be expected to go."

Helen inclined her head towards her sister-in-law. "Exactly, Nora. We've informed the US that we have had something of ours stolen that we wish to retrieve, and they've granted the _Leviathan_ permission to enter their land to get it back."

Alek raised his hand slightly. "What is this machine? Is it a weapon? What does it do?"

"It's Tesla's invention, Alek. It's going to shoot electricity," Deryn muttered.

Tesla smiled at her. "Correct. It works on a similar principle to my Tesla gun, but on a much larger scale."

"I've seen it. Let's just say you won't be keeping that in a holster on your hip," Helen added.

"What does it look like?" Dr. Barlow asked.

Helen raised an eyebrow. "You ever see Nicky's work? You know it when you see it. It's very obvious when it was made or designed by him." When she was given blank looks from the middies, she huffed and said, "Coils of copper or other metals, a metal ball to direct electricity, metal struts that support and direct the electricity. Think. These are traits in the Tesla cannon, my Tesla-" She broke off here to say to Nikola, "We need to stop putting your name on everything."

"The Tesla gun was your idea."

"That's true. Anyway… The captain and high-ranking officers all know this. We aren't going back to England anytime soon. Hopefully, we can get in and out of the US quickly. I'll brief you more when we get closer, but trust me…" Helen paused and nodded for Mr. Ibuki to leave. He did so, and she continued, "You guys are essential to this."

"Why?" Deryn asked.

"Dr. Barlow is well-respected for her status as an excellent female boffin as well as for having Darwin's blood in her veins. Alek, you are the son of the dead Archduke. You have a key part to play. Nicky's role is obvious, as he built the bloody thing in the first place. And Dylan- apparently, the most peculiar things happen to you. I've heard extraordinary things about you, and I have a gut feeling that you'll have the skills needed to help."

"What about the rest of the crew?" Deryn insisted, "They should know this too."

"Oh don't worry. The captain will give them this information soon. But he knows that I will be using a special party for my purposes for finding the device," Helen said, sounding like she was finished.

"What's it called?" Alek inquired, "We can't call it 'the device' or 'the machine' forever."

"I call it a death ray, but Helen thinks that sounds a bit lofty," Mr. Tesla stated with a look at Helen.


	13. Dalek Week Stories

AN: I did these two for Dalek Week on DeviantArt.

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><p>WTF?<p>

* * *

><p>"Hey, Alek?"<p>

"Yeah, Dylan?"

"I'm a girl."

"What?"

"I'm so sorry Alek, please don't be mad…"

"N-no, it's not that…"

"…then what's the matter?"

"Dylan-"

"Deryn."

"Okay. Deryn. I'm a girl too."

"…what."

* * *

><p>Such Great Height<p>

* * *

><p>Deryn spread her arms out to catch the wind. A couple thousand feet above the sea and the breeze was brisk. Perfect. She felt like she could fly with wings of her own.<p>

Alek sat beside her, watching her with half-closed eyes. He was as adapted to heights as she was, although Deryn had the feeling that he would never be as comfortable flying as she was.

"Hey, Deryn?"

She turned to face him. She was still unused to him knowing her name, her _real_ name, and using it. It sounded so strange coming from his lips.

"Yeah?"

"It's not fair."

Thinking he was referring to his parents, Deryn gave him a sad, sympathetic smile. "I'm so sorry," she said, "It shouldn't have happened."

Alek nodded, still staring at her intensely. "I know… I think that if it never happened, we never would've met."

"Aye," Deryn agreed, nodding, "But wouldn't you rather want them alive anyway?"

Alek frowned, suddenly confused. "What're you talking about?"

The blond gave him a strange look. "I was talking about your barking parents. What were you talking about?"

A bit of confusion fled from his face before he said, "Your height, Deryn. It's not fair, even though I know that's how you got on the ship. You're taller than me."

She simply stared at him incredulously for one moment before she burst out into hysterical laughter.


End file.
